1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to an airbag and an airbag apparatus for restraining a driver or a passenger inside a vehicle when, for example, it collides with another object. More particularly, the invention relates to an airbag which has a left-half airbag and a right-half airbag and comes to have a vertical recess in the surface, opposed to the driver or passenger, of the airbag when inflated, as well as an airbag apparatus which is equipped with such an airbag. The invention also relates to a vehicle which is equipped with such an airbag apparatus.
2. Related Art
JP-A-2006-103654 discloses an airbag for restraining a driver or a passenger inside a vehicle when, for example, the vehicle collides with another object in which a vertical recess is formed in its surface that is opposed to the driver or passenger when inflated. Paragraph 0039 of this document has a passage to the effect that when the vehicle collides with a front object, the shoulders of the driver or passenger are restrained by shoulder restraining portions, located on both sides of the recess, of the airbag as inflated and his or her head is restrained by the airbag as it goes into the recess.
The present invention relates to an airbag in which a vertical recess is formed in its surface that is opposed to the driver or passenger and his or her head is restrained by the airbag as it goes into the recess when the air bag is inflated, and in which, in particular, his or her head is restrained by the airbag as it goes relatively deep into the recess, an airbag apparatus which is equipped with such an airbag, and a vehicle which is equipped with such an airbag apparatus.